China tells Israel to stop ‘forced establishment’ of West Bank settlements

What Happened

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Israeli President Isaac Herzog during a meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, that Israel should stop and reverse its "forced establishment" of West Bank settlements, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement released on Friday. Wang said China views the Palestinian question as "the greatest historical injustice of this century," emphasized that the two-state solution is the right path, and said the immediate priority is to fully open access to the Gaza Strip so a humanitarian "catastrophe" is not allowed to spread. Wang added that China is willing to work with the international community to push all parties to return to dialogue and seek a political settlement. Wang was attending the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia as the special representative of President Xi Jinping.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The demarche signals Beijing's push to position itself as an advocate for Palestinians and a potential mediator in the Israel-Palestine conflict while expanding influence in the Middle East. Wang's remarks place China firmly behind the two-state solution and against settlement expansion. The meeting comes amid Beijing's criticism of US and Israeli attacks on Iran and Xi Jinping's September visit to Cairo, where he called on Middle East countries to oppose external influence and consider reshaping the region's security order.

Watch For

Monitor any Israeli government response to Wang Yi's call, further Chinese diplomatic activity at the Baku CICA summit, and whether China follows up with UN Security Council statements or direct engagement with Palestinian representatives. Also watch for any changes in Gaza border crossing access and humanitarian aid flows following China's demand, and any Chinese mediation efforts involving parties to the conflict.